The Sunday Mail
Social responsibility . . . River Valley Properties Chairman Mr Mncedisi Dude and the company’s CEO Mrs Dude at a house they built for the former owner of the peri-urban farm which was repossessed for resettlement in Woodlands Phase 2
Ishemunyoro Chingwere recently in Gweru
Government has often been accused of crafting brilliant economic blue prints whose success on the ground has left a lot to be desired.
With the current dishonesty, duping and illegal constructions, one would least expect to find anything near success in the provision of housing in the country.
But the state of affairs in Gweru, has vindicated Government’s stance that Zim-Asset is not only a paper tiger but a true road map to improving the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans by the year 2018.
Over 30 000 stands have been serviced and availed in the Midlands capital where the partnership between the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and private land developers has become a model to envy.
Massive construction work underway in the newly commissioned low density suburb of Hertfordshire
New suburbs among them, Woodlands 1 and 2, Hertfordshire 1 and 2, Mkoba 12 Extension, Ascot Extension, have legally opened doors to residents of Gweru, complete with social services such as water and sewer reticulation, electricity, roads and schools.
The Sunday Mail Extra crew was in Gweru last week and caught up with Midlands Provincial Housing co-ordinator in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Mrs Matildah Manhambo, who spoke glowingly of the booming housing project.
“It all started when the then Provincial Housing delivery chairman, then Governor Dr Cephas Msipa, gave us as a ministry and a private land developer called River Valley Properties a piece of land to service and provide residential stands to the residence,” said Mrs Manhambo.
“We started off with just 1 500 stands in Woodlands and a large chunk was serviced by River Valley Properties.
“Success of this pilot project resulted in central government availing more land for housing by way of acquiring land surrounding the city hence the current boom that you have seen.
“We have a provincial target of 56 000 under Zim-Asset but already we have done over 30 000 with almost 20 000 in Gweru alone so as a province we are sure to meet our target, probably as early as next year,” said Mrs Manhambo.
At the centre of the success story in Gweru is an unassuming lady – Mrs Smelly Dube the CEO of River Valley — who declines any plaudits for her role but rather passes credit to President Mugabe.
“This is a Government project which was initially mooted by then Minister of Rural Housing and Social Amenities, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa whose fruits are manifesting now.
“As a company we are doing a part to help the President’s dream of housing for all under Zim-Asset so if there is someone who deserves a pat in the back then it has to be the President,” said Mrs Dube.
“What we did is we sat down as a company and said what legacy can we leave for the people of Gweru having been born here and we realised housing is one of the city’s major challenges, hence our decision to venture into that.
“Amid the success we have recorded, the President then asked us to come up with a facility specifically meant to benefit civil servants whose earnings are not consummate to the hard work they put in.
“We have schemes where we invited civil servants to contribute monthly subscriptions of $50 to get a stand in the high density suburb of Woodlands and hundreds of them are resident here with full title deeds as we speak,” said Mrs Dube.
Boom . . . More residential suburbs have been commissioned in Gweru as Government’s economic blue print Zim-Asset starts to bear fruits — Pictures: Believe Nyakudjara
As The Sunday Mail Extra crew toured the new residential areas in the company of Government, council and River Valley officials, the multiple award-winning business executive received warm pleasantries from the new landlords.
The less privileged such as the blind, elderly families of fallen heroes, have also benefited by receiving free “legal” residential stands and in some cases fully built houses as in the case 62-year-old Eustina Lundu.
The local authority, which prides itself as not having recorded even a single case of illegal land occupation or illegal parceling of land by unscrupulous land barons as is rampant in Harare and Chitungwiza, says the key lies in providing legal stands to residents.
“Delivery of serviced stands is very high and we are very strict with construction requirements so there is really nothing to motivate illegal occupation of open spaces,” said city acting director of engineering services, Mr Ivene Muzondo.
“What we have here is good co-ordination between Government — who in most cases own the land, private developers — who in most cases have money to service the stands and us the local authority,” said Muzondo.
“We have witnessed a massive rise in the provision of housing in the city with such new residential suburbs as Woodlands and Hertfordshire having been established.
“We have since 2011, approved over 15 000 serviced stands and these have mostly been done by River Valley and Government.
“With what they have told us and our independent projection, we are anticipating that figure to rise to 21 000 by end of the year, and mind you this is for the period beginning 2011. Of the 15 000 provided so far most beneficiaries have already completed building their houses especially in Woodlands,” he said.
Muzondo explained that the local authority strictly makes sure that a proposed residential dwelling is firstly surveyed and approved and such services like water and sewer are availed before construction can take place.
